Just The Way You Are
by FeedtheRain84
Summary: Peaches loved him more then anything. Hawke was the spring to her winter, it was a shame he never even knew she was alive. It was a shame she never noticed Carver Hawke the way he noticed her.


Disclaimer: Everything Dragon Age belongs to Bioware.

A/N: I should be updating my other story, but for some reason this idea stuck with me. If anyone has played a Mage in DA2, either male or female they'd read a letter Carver got in Act I, from a girl named Peaches. If you're playing a female Peaches and Carver had a fling, if you're playing a boy Peaches is madly in love with your Hawke. So I had the idea too make a small story out of it. It won't be very long and this is mostly something I'm doing to get out of my system. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review.

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><p>Love<p>

It was a beautiful spring morning. Dew still clung to the foliage and the sun was cold and crisp. The sky was such a beautiful shade of blue; Peaches decided that today this particular shade of blue would be her _favourite_ colour today.

Pushing open the windows and letting the glass rattle from the force applied she would have peered below, Lothering was already in full bustle. People going on with their same old mundane lives and it made the girl want _more_.

She was only fifteen, she wasn't _vain_ or anything. But she thought she was one of the prettiest girls in Lothering and that deserved something, at least.

Her hair was the loveliest shade of gold, her eyes a bland shade of hazel. She was a little willowy but her mama told her she'd fill out in no time! She didn't have patience for that; she wanted to be one of those buxom beauties at the tavern at night.

Peaches sighed; Lothering was so boring in comparison to Denerim. This place smelt like spoiled vegetables, cattle and sweat; she was by far too high and mighty for such a place.

A month in this small town, her papa having gotten a new job, sick and tired of the chaotic nature— and her mother's catty older sister— and they packed up and moved here, at first Peach did nothing but gaze out the window, helping her mother in the Shoppe they tended.

But there was _one_ thing that Peaches wanted above all else. The one thing that kept her from sleeping till noon, the one that made her beg her mama for the prettiest dress they could make or find in the stores in town.

Garret Hawke.

He had to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

He was at least several years older then her, his hair was such a dark shade that it looked blue in the sunlight. He was tall and brawny, like a boy fully seasoned. His eyes a beautiful shade of blue— like the sky. When she had seen him her breath had been stolen.

Peaches knew he had to be pining for her; she was the prettiest girl in Lothering. So, what did she do to assure that Garret Hawke would take notice of her? Easy, she befriended his younger brother, Carver.

So always she'd peek out from her window to see Garret and his father, Malcolm head down the path to the stash of farms that littered the outside of the village, it was always when the sun had already been up for about… an hour and twenty-three minutes. That strapping, gorgeous boy chuckling at something his father said.

How she could just stare at him _all day long_.

Most of the men in Lothering worked on the farms, if not they owned a Shoppe, a place to drink or eat. Her father, being in the latter owned a place for fine fashions and flowers. Her mother made hats and sold flowers; she and her older sister helped out during the day and was released maybe two, three hours later.

The rest she could be seen running around with Carver Hawke, him the same age as him, in fact she was sure they were born on the same day in the same season. One of the many things she shared in common with the boy.

But he was no Garret Hawke.

Carver Hawke was lanky, nowhere as near as tall as his older brother, but he had the same head of dark, shaggy hair and pale blue eyes. He was growing into maybe something similar, if she even had the right to compare them.

"Peaches!" Her mother's call startling her out of her day dream before she pulled away from the window once Garret was out of sight "Yes, mama?" She called back, picking up the bundles of her skirt before leaving her room and treading down the stairs, their house connected to the shop.

The kitchen smelt like freshly baked buckwheat bread, it made her mouth water as her older sister— Marigold sitting at the table, looking as sombre and graceful as she always did.

"Sit down, I need you and Marigold in the shop early with me. The fair is coming and I'd like to be fully prepared." Her mother said and Peaches nodded, Marigold having rested her chin in her hand, ignoring them both.

Her sister was an odd one; she was quiet, soft and cold. While they were nearly identical in looks there were minor things that set them apart. Her hair was a lighter shade of blonde, eyes green as the grass and she was witchy-looking.

But the idea of work made her pout "But, mama. Me and a friend were going to go dress shopping for the fair, how can I help you in the shop?" She asked, poking her lower lip out as her mother gave an insufferable sigh, clearly not willing to deal with her at the moment.

"Fine. Marigold can help me." At the mention of her name she tossed them both a frigid look "Make her do it, mother. I shouldn't be the only one to help out, she has plenty of dresses, and a tighter, brighter one won't make her look like a real girl." She tossed out, making Peaches gasp and scowl "I look more of a woman then you, sister!" Peaches snapped and Marigold laughed, as rare as it was "You look like a board missing from Farmer Thomas' fence." Peaches looked down and scowled.

"Enough!" Their mother howled and both clamped their jaws, glaring murderously at each other before their mother pinched the bridge of her nose "Enough, enough, enough. You both will help me until noon, no complaining. Now finish your bread and honey and meet me in the shop. We will be busy, with the fair coming up." She announced and both girls did as they were told.

She had stayed far longer then she truly wanted too. In fact Peaches didn't even want to be there at all, but Marigold always got her way, what a spoiled, spoiled brat! So by the time Carver had showed up her mood was foul.

He remained silent as they reached the edge of the creek; they spent most of their time together here. Peaches liked the sound of the rushing water and she liked to fish, so Carver would simply sit here with her, normally in silence.

Keeping her rod between her fingers, tightly clenched she caught the Hawke staring at her "What?" She asked and he shrugged "You seem moody." He responded and she scoffed "Why won't you introduce me to your brother?" She asked and she watched his face scrunch in anger.

"If you want to speak to him then you can do it your bloody self." He snapped. Rolling her eyes she sighed, "Why are you so angry all the time?" She asked and Carver's frown deepened and she swore he aged about ten years with that angry look on his face. He wanted to say something but he wouldn't.

He never said what was bothering him, but Peaches was starting to believe that he didn't care too much for his brother. She thought that was laughable, _everyone_ loved Garret, she couldn't fathom someone hating him.


End file.
